Travellers 'ignoring' potential dangers at holiday destinations

26 January 2009 11:59

Millions of Britons are not aware of the potential dangers they are facing when they book their holidays around certain dates, according to reports.

A survey by esure has found that 79 per cent of holidaymakers booking their holidays in January did not know when the hurricane season begins in parts of the USA, while a further 87 per cent had no idea when the monsoon season hits parts of Asia.

And the research also revealed that less than half of holidaymakers bother to check for severe weather warnings before booking their holiday, and just 47 per cent check the Foreign Office website for any warnings against travelling to their chosen country or area.

Jacky Brown, head of travel Insurance at the firm, said: "A holiday deal may look great from the outset, but come holiday time – you could be caught out by flying out to your destination, such as Mexico, during the hurricane season.

"Delays and even flight cancellations in such extreme weather are inevitable therefore it's vital to make sure you have travel insurance to make sure you're covered."